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Photo: Stadtlichtpunkte, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Characterized by its well-preserved half-timbered houses and narrow, winding alleyways. This area serves as the atmospheric heart of the city, blending medieval architecture with vibrant local shops, traditional wine taverns, and historic landmarks like the Augustinerkirche.
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One of the city's central squares, this location features an ensemble of historic buildings, such as the rococo-style Osteiner Hof and the Schönborner Hof. The square is dominated by the Fastnachtsbrunnen, a bronze sculptural fountain designed by Blasius Spreng in 1967 that depicts traditional carnival figures and allegorical scenes. It serves as a major social hub, particularly during the carnival season, and is a key starting point for exploring the historic streets of the Old Town.
A few years ago, when a shopping centre now named Römerpassage ("Roman Shopping Way") was built, the construction workers found the remnants of what used to be a temple in the Roman city of Mainz. So, nowadays, you can visit this site inside the shopping centre. It's surrounded by a quite interesting exhibition about the religious purpose of the Isis site.
Mainz Cathedral
A 1,000-year-old Romanesque cathedral featuring a double-chancel design and numerous funerary monuments of former Prince-Electors. The interior and the associated cathedral museum house religious artworks spanning a millennium of the city's history. Public tours are held on the last Saturday of each month (registration via info@dommuseum-mainz.de).
Cathedral museum & treasury, church art.
There are reconstructions of print shops and Gutenberg's hand press, an exhibition of incunabula, and the first two Gutenberg bibles are on display in a strong room. They also have a section devoted to the Far East with colored woodcarvings and prints from Japan, China and Korea. There is even an exhibition on the electronic future of books. Most displays have an English translation. You can purchase a guide in several different languages with your admission. Every hour or so, someone demonstrates how Gutenberg`s hand press works by printing a bible page on a replica of the press. Watching this demonstration is included in the entry fee.
Stretching from the Zollhafen in the north to the Winterhafen in the south, the Rhine promenade is the city's primary outdoor leisure area. In the summer months, the banks transform into a vibrant social hub featuring beach clubs, beer gardens, and scenic walking paths. It is a popular destination for evening strolls, after-work drinks, and enjoying panoramic views of the river.